Electrical apparatus



J. H. GEISSE EIJBCTRICAL APPARATUS original Filed Nov. 2a, 1930 May 19, 1936.

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t l x IHvEH-losa 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. GEISSE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 28, 1930 May 19, 1936.

F'GE INVEHTOR QA/W Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 498,640, November 28, 1930.

This application October 26, 1932, Serial No. 639,726. Renewed October 4, 1935 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a combined starting and generating unit for use with internal combustion engines and capable of functioning, first, to start an internal combustion engine by application of torque thereto, and thereafter to convert part of the power developed in the engine into electrical energy available for ignition, lighting, radio transmission purposes, etc.

An object of the invention is the provision of a dynamo electric machine of novel construction and embodying an element adapted to engage and crank the engine when the unit is energized from a source independent of the engine itself, and further including elements whereby ing operation or inoperation of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel mounting means for a dynamo electric machine of the foregoing character, said novel mounting means being so disposed with respect to the engine crankshaft as to normally rotate therewith, in contra-distinction to machines heretofore employed wherein the housing has been held fast on the relatively stationary frame work or crankcase of the engine.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, and upon reference` to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and are not intended as definitions of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for such a denition of limits.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the starter generator showing the driving gear in section; Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken at XX in Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken at YY in Fig. 1; Figs. 2 and 4 show the mechanism out of operation and Figs. 3 and 5 show the mechanism in operation.

In Fig. l, C is the eld housing of an electric motor generator and is provided with a pulley D on which a belt may be operated for the purpose of rotating C by some outside source of energy. The housing C is rotatably mounted in a bearing E which is held in a bracket F to be attached to some stationary element of the engine to be started. Housing C is provided with an extension G on which is slidably mounted the eccentric A. Interposed between A and G are two at springs B and B. A member I-I having two sets of gear teeth I and J of slightly differing pitch diameters is rotatably mounted on the ecthe unit may operate as a generator either durcentric A with needle roller bearings K. The gear teeth I are adapted to mesh with the internal gear L which is keyed to the shaft M of the engine to be started. The gear teeth J are adapted to mesh with the internal gear N which is held in a brake band O. The brake band O` is located in the housing F by means of screws R and its tension is regulated by the spring P and adjusting screw Q. The brake is prevented from rotating by the lianges S acting against the housing F and spring P. The armature shaft T is splined into the engine shaft M.

The operation is as follows:

Starting with all parts at rest the springs B and B' will hold the eccentric A in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In this position the gears are held out of mesh. Now if electrical energy is supplied to the unit the housing C being free to rotate and rotation of armature T being opposed by the friction of the engine, housing C will rotate around armature T. When the speed of rotation has become sufficient for the centrifugal unbalanced force in A to overcome the tension in springs B and B', A will slide on G to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The surfaces of contact between A and G are such that the movement of A from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is assisted by the reaction of the gear teeth.

A in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 constitutes an eccentric driven by the field housing C. The rotation of A, therefore, causes the member H to roll in both internal gears L and N. If the pitch diameters of these gears were the same both could remain stationary but be 3 ing of differing pitch diameters if N is held stationary L will be caused to rotate at a certain fraction of the speed of the field housing C, the fraction being in the neighborhood of 1/ 100 with the gear proportions shown. As the inertia of 40 the engine flywheel and other moving parts makes it impossible to bring L up to speed instantaneously N is yieldingly held against rotation by the brake O and will rotate until L has been brought up to speed.

When the engine starts L will override H and throw A back to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and place the unit in position to operate as a generator, the armature being driven by the engine shaft and the housing held stationary by friction means such as a brake engageable with the housing C, as indicated at S in Fig. 1.

While the construction herein illustrated and described is of considerable practical merit, as is evident from the foregoing description, it is to be understood that the illustrated embodiment is not exclusive of various other embodiments which will now suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is contemplated that changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as described herein or from the scope of the appended claims. This application is a duplicate of my abandoned application Serial No. 498,640, led November 28, 1930.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device: of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a gear engageable therewith, an electric motor having a eld and an armature relatively rotatable to actuate said gear and thus produce initial rotary movement of said engine member, means mounted centrally of said gear for permanent connection with said engine member at one end and with said armature at the other to cause said armature to rotate while the engine is in operation, and means mounted eccentrically on said last named means for controlling operative engagement between said gear and engine member.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a gear engageable therewith, an electric motor having a iield and an armature relatively rotatable to actuate said gear and thus produce initi-al rotary movement of said engine member, means mounted centrally of said gear for permanent connection with said engine member at one end and with said armature at the other to cause said armature to rotate while the engine is in operation, and means connected with the motor housing for rotating said field about said armature prior to starting of the engine under its own power.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started and a gear engage-able therewith, an electric motor having a housing and an armature relatively rotatable to actuate said gear and thus produce initial rot-ary movement of said engine member, means mounted centrally of said gear for permanent connection with said engine member at one. end and with said armature at the other to cause said armature to rotate While the engine is in operation, means connected with the motor housing for rotating said housing about said armature prior to starting of the engine under its own power, and means mounted eccentrically of the armature shaft for effecting operative engagement between said gear and engine member in response to operation of said last named means.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor having a neld and an armature relatively rotatable to produce initial rotary movement of said engine member, means mounted in line with said armature for permanent connection with said engine member at one end and with said armature at the other to cause said armature to rotate relatively to said eld while the engine is in operation, and means mounted eccentrically on said last named means for controlling the above described initial rotary movement of said engine member.

5. Apparatus as described in claim l and including a pulley integr-al with said motor housing r to facilitate initial rotation thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination with a member of the engine to be started, an electric motor having a eld element and an armature both rotatably mounted, means for permanent connection of said engine member and said armature, means for disengageably connecting said engine member and said eld element, and means for imparting to said eld element a high rotative speed prior to its engagement to said engine member.

J OHN HARLIN GEISSE. 

